State-by-state colony loss 2013-2014

The following table reports the total winter losses per state. These losses were incurred between Oct 1, 2013 and April 1, 2014. Beekeepers who moved their bees across state lines (migratory beekeepers) or managed stationary colonies in several states (multi-state beekeepers) are not included in specific state losses but are summarized together as multi-state beekeepers at the end of the table.

If the number of valid respondents (N) from one state was 5 or less, we did not report losses to protect the confidentiality of participants. The total number of colonies at risk includes colonies alive in October, plus any splits or purchases, minus any colonies or splits sold. The total winter loss is the total number of colonies lost in the state divided by the number of colonies at risk.

Hi…is the Multi-State Operation line a reference to commercial beekeepers who move their bees to crops that need pollination from state to state? Do others fit into that category?

beeinformedpartnership

Hi Aldo,

Yes, The Data Entry for the Multi-State Operation is to represent beekeepers who move their colonies across state lines for pollination. For this particular breakdown of State Colony losses, beekeepers who are included in the Multi-State Operation will not be included in any other state category. However, when we release our full report, that breakdown of data will have beekeepers also included in their state category if they are also a Multi-State Operation. This is Acording to NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service)

Aldo Bello

Thank you for your response! Two more questions: 1. Does the survey solicit information from beekeepers that might provide clues on the causes of colony loss? If so, then 2. Is anyone using the data to ascertain cause?

beeinformedpartnership

Hi again,

The National Management Survey does solicit information from beekeepers that inquires on what their colony losses may be attributed to. However, keep in mind that these causes are based on the beekeepers experience and there is no formal method that beekeepers use to diagnose these conditions. Due to the sheer volume of survey submissions it is impractical to travel to the individual apiaries to ascertain loss.

The results from the surveys does; however, begin to link management strategies to losses and we are just beginning to conduct multivariate analysis to see what treatment and management decisions made by beekeepers increase or decrease colony mortality.

If beekeepers find it necessary to ascertain colony loss we do provide Emergency Response Kits (ERK) that individual beekeepers can purchase. With these kits we can then test for pests and pathogens that are known to be causative agents for colony loss and take pollen samples to test for pesticide exposure.

If it interests you, here is a link to the questions that were used in the Colony Loss and 2012-2013 National Management Survey:

Is the middle column total colonies in the state, or total colonies that replied to the survey?
Thanks,
Jess

beeinformedpartnership

Hi Jessica,

The middle column in the chart is the total colonies that were managed by beekeepers who responded to the survey. So this figure does not represent the total honeybee colonies in the state. To give you a reference of the total colonies in the country, the respondents for the 2013-2014 Colony Loss Survey represent 21.7% of the countries 2.6 million colonies.